The role of social media in improving English communication skills among undergraduate students: evidence from Mount Kigali University, Rwanda

Abstract

This study investigated the contribution of social media to improving English communication skills among undergraduate students at Mount Kigali University. The study was motivated by the increasing use of social media among university students and to determine whether this usage contributes to measurable improvement in English communication skills. Through activities such as watching videos, listening to podcasts, reading posts, participating in discussion and exchanging messages, student can improve their English vocabularies, pronunciations, listening, writing and communication confidence. Social media therefore serves as interactive learning environment where students acquire language skills through observation and engagement. Communicative competence theory and constructivist learning theory guided this research. A convergent mixed methods approach employing a descriptive cross-sectional approach was adopted. The study population consisted of 92 final year undergraduate students from department of media and communications at Mount Kigali University. The study adopted a census approach for the quantitative survey, involving all members of target population to ensure comprehensive data collection, 15 participants were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling enabled the researcher to select participants with relevant knowledge and experience, thereby providing in depth insights that complemented the quantitative findings. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed through thematically. The findings revealed that 78% of respondents used social media daily for approximately three to five hours on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok. The results showed that social media positively contributed to vocabulary development, listening comprehension, pronunciation, writing fluency, and communication confidence. Communication self-confidence recorded highest mean score (M=4.18, SD=0.69), followed by vocabulary improvement (M=4.12, SD=0.74). However, 34% of participants reported occasionally using informal social media language in formal of academic writing, indicating a challenge related to negative language transfer. The study concluded that intentional and academic use of social media significantly enhances English communication skills among university students. It is recommended that higher education institutions integrate structured digital literacy and academic language guidance into language education programs to maximize the educational benefits of social media while minimizing the effects of informal language use.